The Year That Was 20c15

1 year, 20 photographers, 20 images!

Rik Pennington Photography

“This image of Sophie and Will was taken on Osea Island overlooking the Blackwater Estuary at sunset. The setting is full of drama and the huge sky at sunset was an opportunity that I couldn’t resist. What you can’t see in the picture is how Sophie and Will are balancing precariously on a narrow wooden jetty to raise them up above the plants in the foreground. Full marks to Sophie and Will for agreeing to the idea and I still have no idea how Sophie managed it without falling in the estuary in the heels she was wearing!” – Rik Pennington – View The Full Wedding

Albert Palmer Photography

“This is one of my favourite images of last year. Taken in September, the window light, moment and composition all come together to make this a really powerful image. For me it sums up so much about what I love to photograph. People. Not specifically what they are doing or portraits of them looking in to the camera. But how they are feeling. Whilst it probably doesn’t need explaining, the bridesmaids, after a few problems, finally managed to lace Louisa (the bride) in to her gown. This was one of my favourite weddings of the year 100% because of the people. If you’re interested the location was Nutfield Priory Hotel in Surrey.” – Albert Palmer – View The Full Wedding

Samuel Docker Photography

“One of my personal stand out images of 2015 has to be Jodie at Trevenna Barns in Cornwall. The light as she walks down the stairs to a waiting audience, combined with the excitement and joy plastered over her face, just makes this a special moment and one that I knew instantly would be a hit. There wasn’t a person in the room who didn’t have their eyes fixed on her during this moment.” – Sam Docker – View The Full Wedding

F5 Photography

“I love this image from Gita and Arun’s wedding. At the end of any Hindu wedding, comes the very emotional ending, the Vidaai, which is the last ritual in a Hindu marriage ceremony. Gita departs to start her new life with her husband and leaves her family home. There are tears of joy and happiness in this ceremony. This image shows Gita’s love for her mum and her dad inturn supporting his wife.” – Rahul Khona – View The Full Wedding

Sam Gibson Photography

“This image was taken at Misha and Liam’s wedding at the stunning Kilver Court Gardens in Somerset. It was a brilliant day, full of music and laughter and fun. It was my first time as a Kilver Court Gardens wedding photographer and we finished the day off with a sparkler exit across a bridge spanning two lakes. Misha and Liam just happened to stop half way down for a quick kiss. You can see the full wedding here:” – Sam Gibson – View The Full Wedding

ARJ Photography

“This photo happened at Lianne and Mark’s Lancashire wedding in July 2015 as we were preparing to go out on the lake in some rowing boats at Browsholme Hall and Tithe Barn. The sky was full of storm clouds and it had already rained a bit but they still wanted to go out on the lake. This photo just captures their characters for me, and is everything I want to capture in a documentary wedding photograph – happy carefree emotions and people just enjoying their wedding day for all that it is, surrounded by their favourite people in the world! Everyone knew how crazy it was to go rowing on your wedding day but that just added to the fun for all of us. This was actually taken in the boathouse and is my favourite photo of that little rowing adventure, and one of my favourites of 2015.” – Adam Johnson – View The Full Wedding

Kristian Leven Photography

“This was one of those images which I strive for at every wedding, one which incorporates the holy trinity of what, for me, makes a great photograph – light, composition, story. It was taken at Islington Town Hall in July, as Kia and Dan walked away from the ceremony, hand in hand, husband and wife. I was ahead of them taking pictures of them walking towards me when I noticed the dramatic light up ahead – I quickly reasoned that the image would be more striking with them walking away from me, so I ran back, let them pass me by, and I dialed the exposure down a few stops to ensure I retained all the detail from Kia’s awesome dress. I also love how Kia’s blue shoes and bouquet provide a pop of colour to the image.” – Kristian Leven – View The Full Wedding

Lorenzo Photography

“This is one of my favourite images from 2015. Perhaps not what you’d expect as a typical wedding photo but it sums up for me what weddings are all about. It’s late in the evening and the bride is dancing ecstatically with one of her best friends. The groom is in the background with his mates. They’re in heaven. The drink is flowing freely and the music is loud. Everyone at this wedding are totally intent on celebrating to the max with the happy couple. The energy is incredible. So much love and raw emotion. So little pomp and ceremony. I loved every moment of this day. The venue is The Rosendale in West Dulwich, London.” – Lorenzo Ali

Jackson & Co Photography

“My favourite image from 2015 by a million miles and it wasn’t even taken by me, but by Hannah. This moment between Polly the bride and Khalil her step son that she has known since he was very very young was one the most heart warming and emotional moments I’ve ever witnessed. Before saying her vows to Ismail her husband to be Polly read out a personal set of promises to Khalil, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house, mine and Hannahs included. These kind of photographs are the epitome of why we do what we do and why frames like these will live on for generations” – Michael & Hannah – View The Full Wedding

Adam Riley Photography

“I love this image of Rachael and James. Taken in January, this image is from my first wedding of 2015. After a beautiful wedding and hard days partying at the Belle Epoque in Kutsford, guests headed outside and lined the high street with sparklers. A passing police car even held up traffic for them with its blue lights flashing away! As the happy couple ran through, you can see the pure happiness on their faces….surrounded by family and friends, for me it sums up what weddings are about.” – Adam Riley – View The Full Wedding

Lyndsey Goddard Photography

“This image was taken on a blisteringly hot Saturday afternoon in August, in the middle of Piazza della Signoria in one of Italy’s most beautiful cities; Florence. Anyone who has ever been to Florence in the height of holiday season and jostled through the crowds will know that it’s impossible to take a ‘clean’ shot, and that your camera’s viewfinder will constantly have people entering the frame, looking for the perfect spot to take their holiday selfies.

Much of my work is about clever compositions, reflections, symmetry, perfectly timed moments…the stuff that makes photographers tick. This image, however, stands out for me as it’s the opposite of all that. There’s nothing ‘clever’ about it. There’s a certain coyness to them, walking through such a busy public place with all eyes on them. I love the look on Rick’s face. I love Patricia’s veil being picked up by the wind. I love that the tourists are casually watching them walk by. I love the moment of intimacy between them, fleeting and unscripted, amid the busy square and that’s why I chose it as my ‘image of the year’” – Lyndsey Goddard

York Place Studios

“There have been so many images we love this year but our image of the year has to be our Rangefinder Annual Award winning image “The Snow Bride”. We love a winter wedding but, with the bride and groom and half of their guests having come across from Australia for the big day it’s fair to say they were used to more tropical climes! So when, late into the evening, they stepped outside the gorgeous Broughton Hall into freshly falling snow it really was a perfect, magical moment. Our bride Sarah’s absolute elation, backed by the glowing festoon lights and the falling snow is a memory we will never forget and is just packed with the kind of free, honest excitement that only comes from a real, documentary moment.” – Dom & Liam – View The Full Wedding

Stephen Bunn Photography

“I’ve chosen this image of Maya and Emma during their wedding ceremony at Camden Town Hall for a number of reasons. It was one of the most fun weddings I shot all year, and took place on the hottest day of the year (the 4th July, or as they referred to it, ‘No More Independence Day’ It was pretty manic from start to finish; the girls arrived at the ceremony, not in a wedding car, but in the back of a removals van, they ran the wrong way down the confetti line, the party was in a dimly lit working man’s club lit by festoon lighting, fortified by ‘build a burger’ and partying was proceeded by a game of Blockbusters. A lot of fun. But this moment, in the middle of the ceremony, was where the girls and all their guests sang ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’, and it was very emotional and quite electrifying to witness. The position the shot is taken from means that we see all of the guests faces, and the girls holding each other close. I know this was a special moment of the day for Emma and Maja and I am pleased to have been able to capture it for them.” – Stephen Bunn – View The Full Wedding

Miki Photography

“First Dance Magic! Sometimes your just waiting for all the pieces to align. I’d seen the sign and the lights in the ceiling and knew it would make for an interesting scene but to really make them pop I’d have to dial down the exposure meaning Aks and Anette would only be seen if they moved into one spot on the dance floor so you’re just hoping that at some point they’ll move there. Once you commit to the shot it’s a risk and sometimes it doesn’t pay off but when it does I think it’s worth it. Taken at the Painshill Conservatory.” – Mick Shah – View The Full Wedding

The Crawleys – CG Weddings

“I love a strong and balanced composition, in fact I’m obsessed about it! I’m always looking for this in my wedding photography and so I’ve picked this image of Eleanor shot near the Lowry theatre in Manchester as my fave image of the year :) ” – Bee + Liam – View The Full Wedding

Neil Redfern Photography

“My last wedding of the year, Katy and Mark’s wedding at Hoghton Tower in Lancashire, was also without doubt the wedding with the worst weather. Not just of the worst weather of the year but probably of any wedding I have ever photographed. Storm Desmond was causing havoc in the Lakes only an hour north of us and it was gale force winds and torrential rain for the whole of the day.

I wanted to show that in a photograph however and I was so pleased when Katy and Mark were happy to venture outside for a few minutes to get this shot. Bad weather can actually make the best photographs and I was so excited at being able to get something like this. This was virtually my last photograph of the year and also one of my favourites.” – Neil – View The Full Wedding

Ben Joseph Photography

“Confetti shots can sometimes be a bit hit and miss, the confetti can obscure faces or fall straight in front of the lens creating a large out of focus blob. With this shot the light was nice and soft, coming from the right; I stood my ground placing the background arch central in frame. I like the circular shapes of the confetti swopping around the couple which slightly mirror the shape of the arch behind. The hands and the couple’s joyful expressions complete the picture.” – Ben

Lawson Photography

Peter & Laura

Matt Tyler Photography

“I love this image from Cecilia and Danton’s wedding in Richmond. The sun was setting on a perfect day of various cultures coming together so I asked the guys if they’d like to go and grab some more beautiful portraits and they jumped at the chance. This is one from a handful I could have chosen from this particular moment, but I just love the way Cecilia is leading Danton, not to mention that stunning light!!”” – Matt

Andy Gaines

“This image, of Sarah & Nathan’s first kiss has to be one of my favourite wedding shots from 2015. It’s always hard having to pick a favourite from your babies, but I love that fact it is a different viewpoint from the usual ‘safe’ first kiss shot, and that it incorporates some of their amazing DIY wedding decor in the Yay! ballon.Always being on the lookout for interesting shots, angles and ways of including different elements in a scene is one of the things I love when shooting weddings – and it means every wedding is always new and exciting to photograph” – Andy – View The Full Wedding

I am proud to be thefacilitator at 20Collective working with 20 amazing wedding photographers, extending their individual and collective reach in an ever changing digital arena.
I am an Internet Marketing & Search Consultant working predominantly in the photography niche online and the founder of Togwire.com. If you wish to connect with me, you will find me here, on Google+.